"You know, I agree with Jack - trees suck!" Ferretti groused.
Sloane chuckled to hear the Major express the well-known complaint of SG1's CO.
Ferretti sighed as he glanced at the woods surrounding the gate. "Okay, kids. Let's do a standard sweep. Gutierrez, you and the Doc take the east quadrant. Sloane and I will take the west."
Ariana and the lieutenant nodded and the two groups headed off in opposite directions.
An hour later Ferretti keyed his radio. "Gutierrez, you and the Doc found anything yet?"
"No, sir."
"Doc, you got any ideas?" Ferretti asked.
"Well, Lou, the area around the Gate was pretty undisturbed. If there is still an indigenous population, they may not even know it's there, much less use it."
Ferretti thought for a moment before keying his radio again. "Okay. Doc, I want you and Gutierrez to turn around and meet us back at the gate. We'll decide then if it's worth it to scout out any further."
"Roger that, sir. Farrell out."
Sloane turned to his CO as they headed back to the Gate. "Damn. I was kinda hoping for a little action this trip. Looks like this planet is another bust."
Ferretti shot a look at the younger officer. "Close your mouth, Captain. Haven't you ever heard the old curse 'May you live in interesting times'?"
Gutierrez and Ariana had not gone far on their return journey when the lieutenant stopped dead in his tracks. Holding up his hand for silence, he tightened the grip on his P-90 as he listened for the sound that had caught his attention.
Ariana lifted her sidearm from its holster and thumbed the safety off. They both jumped as a slender figure tumbled from the bushes ahead of them. The scantily clad girl started when she noticed them.
"Quickly! You must get away from here. They are right behind me!" she shouted before darting away.
Ariana looked at Gutierrez in confusion. Before they had a chance to react, however, several large men carrying unfamiliar weapons burst upon them. The two teammates turned to flee but were felled by well-placed shots before they could take cover. None of the enemy party noticed their original prey cowering in the bushes. She watched them in horror as they picked up their unconscious victims and returned the way they'd come.
A very irate Major Ferretti was pacing in front of the gate. "Damn it! They should have been here by now. Try them again, Sloane."
The captain depressed the switch on his radio. "Gutierrez, Dr. Farrell, come in." Static was his only response.
"We'd better go see if we can find them."
Ferretti turned to look at the MALP standing quietly by the gate. "Sloane, did the doc take her med. kit with her?"
The captain nodded. "Yes, sir. She always has it on her. O'Neill claims that's the only reason they both made it off P7J-325 alive. But she told me she'd had an extra made. It should still be somewhere there on the MALP."
"Good. Go grab it, Captain. You know as well as I do that they're probably in trouble. We may end up needing that thing."